CD: TOTO 'ISOLATION' 2015 ROCK CANDY REMASTERED NEW! SEALED!

WHEN TOTO RELEASED their game changing fourth album ‘Toto IV’ nobody, least of all the band, expected it to resonate so loudly with the public. Sure, they were known as a fine group, a little on the highbrow tip perhaps, yet the impact of hits such as ‘Africa’ and ‘Rosanna’ placed the band on a new ‘popular’ plateau… one that, it has to be said, was always going to be a millstone around their necks. When you’ve climbed Everest is there really anything else left to ascend?

It was a situation compounded by a huge upheaval, one that was, on the face of it, perhaps a bridge too far. Reconvening to write and record this, their follow-up album, the band made the drastic decision to fire vocalist Bobby Kimball, a move that seriously endangered their momentum. Recruiting new member Fergie Frederikson (previously of pomp purists Trillion and Le Roux) ‘Isolation’ was recorded with cool purpose, yet harboured a certain degree of apprehension. Despite the fact that the songs and performances were very much simpatico with the Toto ethos, the end result that the record fell short of commercial expectations was no surprise.

Released in late 1984, the album is actually a fine slice of adult contemporary rock, with all the moves and grooves that you would expect from such a stellar unit, a band that was musically at the top of their game and firing on all six. Stunning tracks such as ‘Stranger In Town’, ‘Carmen’ and ‘Angel Don’t Cry’ delivered the goods in timely fashion, very much keeping the flame alive.

SPECIAL DELUXE COLLECTOR’S EDITION, FULLY REMASTERED SOUND, 12 PAGE FULL COLOUR BOOKLET, 3,500 WORD ESSAY ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM AND ENHANCED ARTWORK.

TRACK LISTING: 1. CARMEN 2. LION 3. STRANGER IN TOWN 4. ANGEL DON’T CRY 5. HOW DOES IT FEEL 6. ENDLESS 7. ISOLATION 8. MR. FRIENDLY 9. CHANGE OF HEART 10. HOLYANNA